By Matters India Reporters
Bengaluru, May 4, 2020: Pope Francis on April 4 accepted the resignation of Bishops Cyprian Monis of Asansol and Salvadore Lobo of Baruipur, both dioceses in West Bengal state, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India announced.
Both the prelates have crossed the mandatory retirement age of 75.
Bishop Lobo has been succeeded by Bishop Shyamal Bose, currently the coadjutor of Baruipur.
Meanwhile the Pope has appointed Bishop Emeritus Lobo as the apostolic administrator of Asansol.
Bishop Monis was born on April 11, 1945, at Dorna Halli in Mysore diocese, Karnataka. He was ordained a priest on December 21, 1975. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Calcutta Archdiocese on March 26, 1994, and ordained a bishop August 4 that year.
When the Asansol diocese was erected on October 24, 1997, with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Calcutta, he was appointed its first bishop. He was the chairman of the Office for the Youth of the CBCI. He has been a priest for 44 years and a bishop for 25 years.
Bishop Lobo was born on April, 30, 1945, in Mangalore diocese, Karnataka. He was ordained a priest on March 19, 1973. He served as vicar general and then administrator of Baruipur diocese before being appointed its bishop on October 16, 1997. He was ordained bishop on January 29, 1998. He was the chairman of the CBCI Office for Social Communications. He has been a priest for 47 years and a bishop for 22 years.
Bishop Bose was born in Gosaba in Baruipur diocese, on March 24, 1961. He was ordained a priest on May 5, 1991. He was appointed coadjutor bishop on 17 May 17, 2019, and his episcopal ordination was on June 24 last year.